NF rescinds tower approval

Feb 05, 2025

At their meeting last week (Jan. 13) North Frontenac Council decided to rescind letters of concurrence they signed, as part of a federal approval process for Rogers corporation to construct cell towers on two North Frontenac Properties.

The first case, which has already been reported on by the Frontenac News, concerns Don and Margie McAlear, who live outside the township, but directly across the road from a tower that Rogers is planning to install on the Matawatchan Road. They claim they never received notification of the pending construction, and were denied the opportunity to comment. The second proposed tower is near Ompah, on the Lavant Road. It is of concern to Christina Kearns and Joe Clayton who operate the home-based Nature Native Art Gallery/ Kearns and Clayton appeared before Council last week (January 28th). They also say they were never notified, and have concerns about the impact of the tower on their business.

Don and Margie McAlear, who appeared before Council before the new year, were on hand as well, and they addressed Council near the end of the meeting.

The township employed the services of CRINS, a company that was set up by the federal regulator that approves cell towers, to oversee the notification and consultation process for the two towers.

While CRINS claimed notification had taken place, the township has not been able to contact them to provide proof that it did indeed take place.

John Inglis, Deputy Mayor of North Frontenac, said last week that, “it appears that CRINS no longer exists.” At the end of the meeting last Friday, the township decided to accept the assertions by the McAlear’s and Clayton/Kearns that they were never notified. After an in camera meeting, Council rescinded their approval for the towers, and asked Rogers to cease work on them. The public consultation process is now underway, the property owners will get registered letters and a public meeting date has been set. Ads were taken out in the Frontenac News this week.